X-ray film

ABSTRACT

A package for X-ray film wherein the sheets of film are in faceTo-face contact and held in a compressed condition within the package to avoid shifting of the sheets during shipment and handling.

United States Patent 1191 Hedin Dec. 11, 1973 [5 X-RAY FILM 2,335,107 11/1943 Ciringione 206/62 R 2,354,706 8/1944 Rulon [75] Inventor: Hem, Paul 3,458,033 7/1969 Ariyasu et al 206/62 R 73 AssigneeZ Minnesota Mining and 3,645,388 2/1972 Fessenden 206/62 R Manufacturing Company, Saint Paul, Minn. Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. [22] Flled' 1972 Attorney-John C. Barnes [211 App]. No.2 233,502

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 97,731, Dec. 14, 1970,

abandoned. [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl 206/62 R 511 1m. (:1... B6511 85/46, B65d 85/48, 865d 85/62 a A Package X'YaY mm Sheets mm [58] Field 61 Search 206/62 R are and held m a mPressed condition within the package to avoid shifting of the [56] References Cited sheets during shipment and handling.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1943 Hunter 206/62 R 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures m n mum 1 1' ma 3.777384 I N VENTOR.

. w WHED/l F1624 v Fzaf ATTORNN X-RAY FILM This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 97,731, filed Dec. 14, 1970 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improvement in a package for X-ray film. The package of the present invention is a construction which securely holds the sheets together within the package and has a removable file placed therearound which upon its removal relieves the compression in the package permitting facile removal of single sheets from a dispensing package.

X-ray emulsions are extremely sensitive to pressure marking. When the emulsions are mechanically stressed, as by microscopic dirt particles being moved across the emulsion, the silver halide grains at those areas are rendered developable and can result in high density marks appearing on the developed film. These discernible marks may thus affect the quality of the X-ray image taken thereon.

It has been popular in the past to interleave sheets of paper between the films to provide a method for cushioning the emulsion. Interleaving has drawbacks including a chemical interaction causing a chemical fog and for the radiologist or X-ray technician the interleaves have been troublesome because soon the X-ray room is filled with the interleaving sheets and handling of these sheets in a busy laboratory is a nuisance. The interleaving sheets also add to the packaging cost.

Approaches to solve this problem may include the development of emulsions having less susceptibility to pressure marking. This approach would require extensive laboratory effort and may be quite difficult to assure that in solving this problem that no other film characteristics would be deleteriously affected. A sec- 0nd solution to the problem may be in providing processing and converting facilities which are completely free from dirt. This approach is of course desirable but may not be attainable and still provide for mechanized converting and packaging facilities. The problem with the microscopic dirt and its effects on the film during shipment was thus the problem needing a solution other than the more direct approaches.

The deleterious effect of the dirt is present primarily during handling, and shipping and U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,298 discloses one package concept for N.I.F. film sheets, i.e., not interleaved film, teaching compressing a stack of film sheets between V-shaped polyvinyl chloride clips. When the package is opened the clip is removed, some film sheets can be released by a short pulling movement whereby the pressure of the other clip or cllps is removed. This action can result in a rubbing between the emulsions and damage sought to be avoided during shipment.

The present invention provides a package which firmly compresses a stack of sheets in face-to-face relation restricting relative movement between the sheets during shipping and a structure to relieve the compression upon opening the package which will avoid me chanical stressing and marking by dirt particles which may be sandwiched between the film sheets during handling for use of the sheets.

The package of the present invention also provides a container permitting storage and easy access to the sheets when the package is opened for use. The package has a removable file about the sheets which is within the package and which, upon its removal, re-

lieves the compression on the film sheets in the stack, and the stack will be held in a shell for the subsequent removal individually, thus removing the likelihood of damaging the emulsion during removal of the film sheets.

The package of the present invention has the X-ray film sheets emulsified on both faces in a stack in faceto-face contact relationship. The stack of sheets is placed in a paper wrapping which may completely wrap the sheets or which may cover the exposed face of the top and bottom sheets in the stack and at one end or edge. The stack of sheets with the wrapping is then placed in a removable file, folded about the stack, and substantially covering the opposed faces of the stack.

The file may have a handle taped to the bight portion such that it can be removed from about the stack. The file is placed in a box-like shell having an opening in one end with the open end receiving the stack and file. After the shell is fitted about the stack the shell is compressed to compress the file and the stack of film sheets. Securing means are applied about the opposed edges of the shell to hold the sheets in their compressed position. The securing means is preferably strips of strong fiber-reinforced pressure-sensitive tape having sufficient strength to maintain the stack in a compressed position along the edges thereof. The box-like shell, file and sheets are then placed in a light-tight pouch which preferably includes a metal film. The pouch is then packaged in a box which will bear the appropriate labelling. The box is preferably of an easyopen construction and may be formed with a tear strip around the end thereof coresponding to the open end of the shell and the bight portion of the file.

The present invention and its advantages will be more fully understood after reading the following detailed description which refers to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an X-ray film package constructed according to the present invention having portions thereof broken away for purposes of illustrating interior members;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the package in a partially open condition and illustrating further opening in broken lines;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now-to the drawing the X-ray film package comprises an outer box 10 which will bear the proper labelling and which has opposed ends. A tear strip 11 is formed in the box adjacent one end by appropriately perforating the box board about said one end. The box is otherwise constructed with folded flaps which are adhesively secured together during the packaging process. Within the box 10 and completely enclosing the film in a sealed condition is a pouch 12 which is formed of a laminated material preferrably comprising a uniaxially oriented polypropylene, a metal film (vapor coat) and two 1 mil layers of black polyethylene. This material permits the pouch to be torn across the end and it will not tear lengthwise.

Within the pouch 12, the film is packaged under compression in a dispensing container which may be removed from the box and pouch. The X-ray film sheets are packed without interleaves, N.l.F. film, in face-to-face contact. The dispensing container for the stack of X-ray film sheets, each comprising a support sheet or transparent backing coated on each face with a silver halide emulsion, comprises a paper wrapping 16 covering at least one end, and the upper and lower exposed faces of the stack of film sheets, a file l7, and a box-like shell 18.

The stack of sheets 15 are wrapped in the paper wrapping 16 which wrapping is preferably dust-free and chemically inert paper. The file 17 has a pair of flanges l9 and 2l.and a bight portion 22 and is placed about the wrapping on the stack of sheets. The flanges l9 and 21, as illustrated, completely cover the opposite faces of the stack of film and necessarily cover the opposite faces of the stack along the longitudinal edges and at one end. The file 17 is formed with a handle 23 which may be formed by folding a length of fiberreinforced pressure-sensitive adhesive tape back upon itself over a portion of its length and adhering the ends of the tape onto the bight 22 and flanges 19 and 21 of the file 17. The thin handle 23 affords a trimpackage and permits grasping the file to withdraw the same lengthwise of the stack of film sheets.

The file l7 and stack of film sheets 15 are contained within the box-like shell 18 formed with an open end as shown to the right in FIG. 2. Adjacent the open end are cut-back portions 26 permitting first, the grasping of the handle 23 to remove the file 17 and then removal of the film sheets longitudinally from the box-like shell 25 and from the wrapping l6.

The box-like shell 18 has opposed side panels 28 and 29, an end 31 and overlapping side flaps 32 and 33 on each edge of the stack (only one edge is shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5). The overlapping flaps 32 and 33 extend .from the panels 28 and 29 toward the respective opposite panel a distance less than the spacing therebetween even after the stack of sheets, generally 100 sheets, are compressed as illustrated in FIG. 5 by the broken line.

Securing means in the form of strips of fiberreinforced pressure-sensitive adhesive tape hold the flaps 33 and 32 in contact and hold the panels 28 and 29 in a fixed position relative to each other compressing the panels against the file flanges 19 and 21 and the film sheets between the flanges and against one an? other. During packaging of the N.I.F. film the film is placed in the wrapping 16, the file 17 is then folded about the stack, and the box-like shell 18 is folded over the file. The shell 18 is then placed under compression applied against the opposed panels 28 and 29 along their edges, preferably at four locations, to compress the stack of film sheets, wrapping and file between the panels 28 and 29. While under this compressive loading the strips of fiber-reinforced pressure-sensitive adhesive tape are applied about the edges to the panels 28 and 29 securing the same together. Two of the strips of tape adjacent one end of the shell 18 are shown at 34 and 35.

The wrapping 16 is positioned about the film sheets such that when the file 17 is being removed there is movement only between the file and the wrapping and not between the wrapping and the film. A suitable coating may be applied to the outer surface of the wrapping or the inner face of the file flanges so the coefficient of friction is less between the file and wrapping than between the wrapping and film sheets. This reduces the possibility of any movement between the wrapping and film which may damage the film if any dirt should be present when the compressive load is removed from the dispensing container.

A strip of lead foil, a quarter inch wide, may be laminated to the underside of one strip of the tape for the purpose of indicating whether or not the film is still suitable for use.

When the operator receives the package 10, the tear strip 11 is removed to completely remove one end 37 of the box 10. The operator will then see the end of the pouch 12 and will open the same by tearing it across the end exposing the bight 22 of the file l7 and the open end of the shell 18. Also exposed is the handle 23 which the operator may grasp to withdraw the file 17 from the shell 18. As this file is withdrawn the thickness of the flanges l9 and 21 thus relieve the compression placed on the stack of film sheets by the tape strips 34 and 35 permitting the subsequent removal of individual sheets from the stack. The shell 18 and file 17 are constructed of solid unbleached kraft board, scored at the folds and having a thickness of 0.034 inch. The box 10 is formed of clay coated natural kraft board having a thickness of 0.028 inch with folded ends which are sealed with hot melt adhesive.

Having thus disclosed the invention what is claimed 1. An X-Ray film package for a stack of X-ray film sheets to restrict any relative movement between the sheets during shipment and handling and affording a package convenient for use by the radiologist which will restrict film damage upon removal of the sheets seriatum therefrom, said package comprising:

a stack of X-ray film sheets with the sheets in face-toface contact, each sheet comprising a supporting sheet and an emulsion coating on each face thereof,

a paper wrapping on said stack,

a removable file having a flange substantially covering one face of said wrapping and a portion to substantially cover one end of said wrapping,

an open ended box-like shell fitted over said wrapping and file to cover the opposite faces of the wrapping and the opposite end,

securing means holding opposite edges of said shell tightly against the file to maintain the file and the stack of sheets under compression along their edges, and

a light-tight pouch covering said shell, file and wrapped stack of sheets.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said file has means adjacent said one end of the wrapping defining a handle permitting it to be easily withdrawn from the box-like shell and from its position in relation to the stack of sheets to relieve the compressive loading on said stack of sheets by said shell and securing means.

3. A package according to claim 1 wherein said file has two flanges to substantially cover the opposite faces of said wrapping and the portion covering said one end has means defining a handle for permitting the file to be withdrawn from said shell to relieve the compressive loading on said stack of sheets.

4. A package according to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape secured to edges of panels forming said shell, which panels cover the opposite faces of said stack.

5. A package according to claim 1 comprising a box enclosing said pouch and having an easily opened end portion disposed adjacent the open end of said shell. 

1. An X-Ray film package for a stack of X-ray film sheets to restrict any relative movement between the sheets during shipment and handling and affording a package convenient for use by the radiologist which will restrict film damage upon removal of the sheets seriatum therefrom, said package comprising: a stack of X-ray film sheets with the sheets in face-to-face contact, each sheet comprising a supporting sheet and an emulsion coating on each face thereof, a paper wrapping on said stack, a removable file having a flange substantially covering one face of said wrapping and a portion to substantially cover one end of said wrapping, an open ended box-like shell fitted over said wrapping and file to cover the opposite faces of the wrapping and the opposite end, securing means holding opposite edges of said shell tightly against the file to maintain the file and the stack of sheets under compression along their edges, and a light-tight pouch covering said shell, file and wrapped stack of sheets.
 2. A package according to claim 1 wherein said file has means adjacent said one end of the wrapping defining a handle permitting it to be easily withdrawn from the box-like shell and from its position in relation to the stack of sheets to relieve the compressive loading on said stack of sheets by said shell and securing means.
 3. A package according to claim 1 wherein said file has two flanges to substantially cover the opposite faces of said wrapping and the portion covering said one end has means defining a handle for permitting the file to be withdrawn from said shell to relieve the compressive loading on said stack of sheets.
 4. A package according to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises strips of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape secured to edges of panels forming said shell, which panels cover the opposite faces of said stack.
 5. A package according to claim 1 comprising a box enclosing said pouch and having an easily opened end portion disposed adjacent the open end of said shell. 